Penobscot Bay PressCommunity Information Services

News Feature

StoningtonOriginally published in
Compass, July 10, 2014
“Brunch of the Living Dead” offers twist on annual meeting

Opera House Arts invites all community members to a free brunch to celebrate its 15th Annual Public Meeting on Saturday, July 12, from 10 a.m. to noon, the organization announced in a news release.

In celebration of OHA’s 15th anniversary and the world premiere of its new performance, R&J&Z (Romeo & Juliet & Zombies), OHA is hosting a free community zombie hunt, prizes, and “Brunch of the Living Dead” as part of the annual meeting. In keeping with its theme, brunch will include bloody drinks, mini sausage fingers, puff pastry intestines, guacamole, brain cupcakes and more as well as strong, locally roasted coffee. The annual public meeting is hosted by OHA’s Board of Directors, chaired by Richard Howe of Stonington; Community Advisory Board, founded in 2002 and co-chaired by Macy Lasky and Jane Osborne; and Artistic Advisory Board, founded in 2011.

The meeting will feature a discussion with Artistic Advisory Board member and playwright Melody Bates, author of R&J&Z, on the making of this new and often humorous cross between Shakespeare and horror movies; as well as the appearance of some of the show’s zombies, and a short student performance by two of this year’s acting interns. Members of all three boards will also be on hand for the event.

The brunch and meeting follow a week-long, island-wide zombie hunt which concludes in downtown Stonington the same morning. Representations of eight of the zombie characters from R&J&Z will be hidden around the island in storefronts and other locations beginning July 8, with four zombies appearing along Stonington’s Main Street at 9 a.m. July 12. Zombie hunt tally sheets will be available at the Opera House Box Office on Main Street and the OHA booth at the Stonington Farmers’ Market. Bring your completed tally sheet to the “Brunch of the Living Dead” at the Opera House on July 12 for free food and prizes.

At the event’s completion at 1 p.m., public guided tours of the historic Opera House will be available. A matinee of Romeo and Juliet starts at 2 p.m., and a performance of R&J&Z will be at 7 p.m. that day. Information: 367-2788, operahousearts.org, or follow Opera House Arts on Facebook and Twitter.